davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-01-27
Pierce and Hawthorne.

Ben: Perley Poore in the Boston Bud
get tells this story
Soon after Gen. Pierce was elected
President he visited Boston and received
a visit from his old friend, Nathaniel
Hawthorne, to whom he said, ''What
can do for you, Nat?" 81 have long
wished to see you" replied Hawthorne,
''and l have hoped that you would be
able to appoint me to a foreign mission
''No, no, =" replied Pierce. ''Let me tell
you little story: Soon after Gen. TaY-
lor was elected President, Jenifer went
to him and asked for foreign mission,
saying that he could live on his outfit
and save up his salary. The President
appointed him. He went to Vienna,
lived snugly on his outfit, saved his
salary, and was happy in the realization
of his plans. On the eve of his depart
ure he called on the Countess d'Ester-
hazy, who was mistress of ceremonies at
Court, and expressed to her that his So
cial position as bachelor prevented
him from reciprocating the attentions
which he had received. The Countess
listened to him graciously, and then said
that it would not do for him to go away
without giving an entertail ment. This
she offered to arrange, and told him all
he would have to do would be to pay
the bills. The entertainment was a
magnificent one and the bills amounted
to upward of $4,000. So Jenifer came
home penniIess and had to take a sub
ordinate clerkship in the Treasury De-
partment. Now" continued the PresI-
dent-elect, II do not propose to send
you where you will have a repetition of
Jenifer's case, but l VIII give you the
Consulate at Liverpool, where you will
be able to save a little money" The
Liverpool Consulate was accordingly
given to Hawthorne, and he was enabled
to save a considerable sum while he
hold IL
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-01-27
A Horse Trade.

The following stofy was told cleri-
cal friend in the West of Ireland by q
countryman named Dinny Cooley
"Good morning Dinny; where did you
get the horse2" az ell, I'll tell your
Reverence. Some time ago l went to
the fair of Ross, not with this horse,
but another horse. Well, sorra. a wan
said to me, Dinny, do you come from
the Aist, or do you come from the
V eshtl' and when l left the fair there
wasn't wan man to say, Dinny, are you
going to the Aist, or are you going to
the WeshtP Well, your Reverence,
l rode home, and was near Kilnagross,
when l met man riding along the
road forninst me. Good evening,
friend, said he. Good evening friend,
sez l. Were you at the fair of Rossf
says he. Il was, sez l. Did you sellr
sez he. No. sezI. Would you sell?'
sez he. Would you buy says L.
Would you make clane swopH sez he
horse, bride, and saddle, and all? sez
he. Doner says |.
"Well, your Reverence, | got down
off av me horse, not this horse, but the
other horse, and the man got down off
av his horse, that's this horse, not the
other horse, and we swopped and rode
away. But when he had gone about
twenty yards, he turned round and
called after me. There niver was a
man from Ross, sez he, but could put
his finger in the eye av man from Kill
nagross,' sez he; and that horse sez
he, that swopped with you, sez he, Is
blind av an eye,' sez he. Well, then,
your Reverence, turned upon him, and
| called out to him: There niver was a
man from Kilnagross,' sez ], but could
put his two fingers in both the eyes av
ii man from Ross, sez !, and that horse
that l swopped with you,' sez l, is
blind av both his eyes, sez l."
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-01-27
Stingy WhaeIer's Way.

The Chicago Herald tells this story:
Funny thing occurred down at our
house Christmas" said the brakeman.
"rm away almost every night in the
year, but Christmas night l got lay off
and STAYED home With the wife and
babes. Next door to us lives one of the
st ngicst old codgers that ever was
Wheeler is his name, and everybody calls
him Stingy Wheeler He is an old chap
who has no children and no friends, and
who is said to be worth good deal of
money. I've had a good deal of sick
ness in my house this winter, and times
have been right hard with us. It was
mighty little Christmas we had, can
tell you.
well, there's one thing we can say,
Henry, said my wife to me, and that is
that our house is not hard to warm. 1t
beats all the way coal does last us here.
That half-ton you got a month ago, isn't
nearly all gone yet
That's the way coal lasts when
there's nobody to steal it, as we had
where we lived last l replied, 'now
there's only one man in this neighborhood
IA suspect Of stealing coal, and that s
Stingy Wheeler, | wouldn't trust that
d cOdger very far
"' Neither would I, ; said my wife.
" That night after we got in bed my
wife woke me, saying she was sure she
heard some one in the coal house.
GO | believe it's old Wheeler, I said.
So do l. my wife replied: 'but be
careful and don't get into any trouble
with the old skinfint,' she added as |
hastily dressed myself.
Softly l tiptoed out to the coal
house, and sure enough there was man
there, hard at work with a shovel. 1t
was Stingy Wheeler, and he was throw
ing coal from his bin into mine !"
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-01-27
THE TROUBLESOME RODENTS.
How Rats Swim at the Smell of Frying
Bacon.

When a reporter was walking along
| the North River front, near Twenty
third street one night early in the fall
says the New York 6.sa, a watch
| man on a pier invited him out to the
end of the pier.
II want you to see my pets deserting
| me-" said the watchman.
The two men walked to the end of
| the pier with as little noise as possible,
| and then sat down on the string piece.
Lying at anchor several ships lengths
away was one of the trim iron steam
| yachts that can be seen at every regatta
of the New York Yacht Club. The wa
ter was as smooth as oil, the
faint breath of air that famed across
from the Jersey shore never raising a
ripple. The night was. ,1art, except
for the red glare that had not faded in
the West aud the light of the stars. 1t
was q very pleasant evening, and the
reporter was about to say so, when the
watchman said:
'It's enough to make any one hun
cry, amt it2'
He referred to an appetizing smell of
cooking steak that foated ashore from
the iron yacht, where the cook was evi-
IDENTIFY preparing late dinner for some
one, and the reporter assented to the
watchman's statement. There was a
sound of something dropping into the
water just then, and the watchman
grasped the reporters arm.
"Hist, there goes another. ron't
blame i'm, either; smells good enough
to swim clear to Hoboken for. Maybe
that cook thinks my pets won't get any
of that ere steak, but I'm thinking the
yacht must be tighter'n bottle where
my beauties can't get a taste of the
scraps. Why, that 'ere rat as you just
hearn plump off the pier-he's out
there while I'm talking to you about it,
and he's Skinned up the cable and he's
eyein' the cook through hole in the
galley floor this minute. Rats is the
knowingest critters ever made; sharks
and snakes and monkeys what every
body talks about isn't nowhere besi es
these North River rats. The ship never
was built so that rats wouldn't find
their way about her. You could batten
the matches of that 'ere yacht and turn
her adrift in cyclone off Hatteras, and
she'd shed water like her back was
creased and never start bolt, but let
her come to anchor in the North River
and start the galley fire, and afore
morning the rats has made themselves
to home and begun raising families like
respectable citizens"
The old watchman chuckled to him
self so as not to disturb the rats that
mad been jumping from. the pier singly
and in pairs and by threes while he
talked in an undertone. Therats would
disappear when they struck the water
and not show up again for nifty feet or
more. Some of them did not appear at
all ag in, but when the reporter sug-
gested that some accident had hap
Pened by which they were drowned the
watchman forgot that he was keeping
quiet, and snorted so loud that no rat
jumped into the water for FIVE minutes.
"You wouldn't believe it, maybe"
said the old watchman presently, "but
jt costs the owner of that Nere steamer
as much to fgnt L. bats uurlng the
year as to keep lackey."
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-01-27
MARRIED WHEN CHILDREN.
The Romantic Story of n Remarkably
Young Married Couple at Atlanta, Ga.

ATLANTA, Ga.-There has arrived in
| Atlanta perhaps the youngest couple
ever married. The husband is only
seventeen years old, and his wife is two
years younger. They came to Atlanta a
few days since from San Francisco, and
are staying with friends in this city.
He stated that his name was Sandy
Lockmore, and that his wife, before
she was married, was named Jennie
Royster. They have been married
three years. When the nuptials were
solemnized III the Shetland Islands in
May, 1888, he was only fourteen, and
she was twelve. They were engaged
two years before the knot was fastened
legally. When asked what induced
carly an age, the young Benedict re
sponded:
"Well, we were left orphans without
any relatives or friends, for our parents
were shipwrecked, and we found our
selves on the Shetland Islands, un-
known and alone. Fortunately l had
been intrusted with the keeping of
package by my father and managed to
hold on to it through all the storm.
When we were rescued l had the pack
age safe and sound in my possession. Il
contained about $4,000 in United
States currency. OF course, being so
we'll supplied with cash, did not lack
friends. Jennie and l fell into the
hands of an excellent old English
couple, who provided for US and treated
us like their own children. We were
placed at school under a minister of the
Gospel from New York State, who
spared no pains to train us. After two
years we resolved to get married. At
first the idea was hooted at by every
member of the family in which we
were staying, but finally we got the
consent of all of them and were duly
married. Shortly afterwards we started
for England There we remained until
about six months ago, when we came to
the United States to look after some
property in Connecticut which was
said to belong to my wife. Sure
enough, we found that In Hartford there
was property valued at $50, 600 which
my wife had inherited and which would
fall into her sole possession the year
she reached her majority. In the mean
time the interest on the property goes
to her" About this time the young
wife rejoined her husband and the
young couple walked away as happy as
cooling doves.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-01-27
Making Oil of Sassafras.

In some of the interior counties Of
North Carolina may be seen in operation,
many primitive establishments for the
manufacture of the oil of sassafras and
oil of pennroyal. The apparatus used
in this work is so exceedingly rude and
primitive as to appear ridiculous to most
observers; but the product is of good
quality, and constitutes a profitable in
dustry For these oils the usual style of
''still' may be briefly described as a
short trench in the ground, ending in
low f1ue or chimney. Over this trench
is placed closed wooden box, having a
sheet-iron bottom, and an auger hole on
top of the team-boX, and has several
holes bored through its bottom, and
also through the top of the steam box,
allowing steam to pass freely up through
the barrel A Lutte of clay is used to
close the Joint between the lower end of
the barrel and the steam-boX as we'll as
the cover of the barrel Instead of a
''worm," tin pipe immersed in trough
of cold water is used, and steam con-
nection with the barrel is generally
made by an elbow branch of wood bored
out with an auger. The sassafras tree
grows abundantly in this section, es-
pecially on worn-out lands, where it is
usually found in the dense thickets of
small shrubs. The root is dug and
washed free from dirt, and, after being
chopped short and bruised with a
hatchet, is ready for the 'still." This
work is done by boys employed by the
manufacturer, who pays stated price
per 100 pounds of the root ready for use.
The same outfit is used in the pro-
duction of oil of pennyroyal, which
grows abundantly in the woods in many
counties.
When the barrels is filed with the
roots. and the cover made tight with
clay, the process of distillation goes on
rapidly The steam passes through the
mass of bruised roots and is condensed
by the tin tube into a mixture of distilled
water and oil, and runs into glass vessels
set to receive it. Being of different
densities, the oil and water rapidly settle
into two strata, and one can be decanted
from the other.
1t is said that the operator of such
''still" can pay all running expenses and
make a clear profit of So per day. When
we consider that the cost of establishing
sucIe 'factory" is less than $40 for the
entire plant, and no chemical education
is necessary on the part of the operator,
the profit of the work is not to be de-
SDiCp1
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-01-27
Mr.. HOxie and the Tramp.

During the early days of the Union
Pacific, when Webster Snyder was
General Superintendent, H. NJ. HoXie
was his assistant. Snyder and HoXie
were an active team, and one of them
was nearly always on the road, examin-
ing its construction or supervising the
details of its conduct. At the time of
which speak, the road was completed
a short distance beyend Kearney, and
Mr.. Hoxie had been out to the end of
the line and was returning. The road
bed was naturally very rough, and the
progress of all trains necessarily very
slow. Somewhere west of Kearney a
tramp boarded Mr.. Hoxie's train, and
attempted to work the conductor for
free ride to Omaha. II e conductor
resisted his plea, but his opportunities
became so pressing and pathetic that he
was tina iy referred to Mr.. HoXie.
''Let you ride to Omaha for nothing?"
said he, when application was made to
him ''No. When we get to the next
station the conductor will put you off. "
The order was strictly obeyed, and
the discounted beat forced out of the
car and on to the depot platform at
Kearney. To say that Mr.. Hoxle was
surprised when, upon alighting from
the train at Omaha, the first person that
he encountered was the identical tramp
would be to put it very mildly
"How did you get here?" inquired
the official.
The tramp tenderly and mysteriously
caught MIR. Hoxie's sleeve and pulled
him around behind the car and out of
the hearing of the crowd. 81 didn't
want to give your old road away to the
mob," said the tramp-"I walked"
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-01-27
A Western Party.

Donkey parties are the latest thing in
the way of social gathering in Mil
waul<ee A large silhoutte representing
tailless donkey is cut out of paper or
cloth and fastened upon the wall. To
each of the guests are given cambria
tail and pin. Then they are blind
folded, one by one, placed in a corner
opposite the donkey are whirled three
times around, and then started on a
blind search for the donkey, upon
which, if they reach it, the tail is to be
pinned. If the guest goes in another
direction and stumbles against a wall,
door, chair, or anything else, there he
must leave the tail The movements of
the blindfolded are apt to be ludicrous.
The person who makes the best effort to
place the tail upon the donkey where it
belongs receives a present of some kind,
while the guest who makes the most un-
successful effort gets the BOBBY prize.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-01-27
MRS. HANLY,S ROMANTIC HISTORY
She Married the Man who was Pledged to
Her on the Day She was Born.

Mrs. Hanly, who died at Nicholasville,
KY, few days ago, had romantic
history. Her husband, Major Gratten
Hanly, was the great grandson of Sir
John Hanly, the Earl of Landorff, in
Ireland, who, during the rebellion there
in 1898, was compelled to leave his
home. Coming to this country he set
tied within half mile of Nicholasville.
In another direction lived Harrison
Daniel, Mrs. Hanlys father. Major
Gratten Hanly was born in 1921, and
when he was eight ars old he was on
q visit with his mother to the home of
Harrison Daniel. On this very day Mrs.
pledged their children to each other.
They grew up as playmates, and as
children loved each other. Afterward
Major Hanlan moved to Mississippi, but
came back in 1856 and married Miss
Fannie Daniel. Immediately upon their
marriage they returned to Mississippi,
where they remained eleven years.
Major Hanly served during the entire
war. Mrs. Hanly was with him the
whole time, and was present in every
battle he was in with one exception.
Strange to say, in no battle in which
Mrs. hanly was with her hu band was
he wounded, but in the one on the line
between Dalton and Alabama, from
which she was absent he was badly
wounded. Major Hanly was captain of
battery. Mrs. Hanly while with her
husband on the battlefield and in camp,
busted herself in attending to the wants
of the soldiers, nursing the sick and
caring for the well. She so endeared
herself to her husbands comrades that
there was nothing any one of them
would not do for her Fear was some
thing she knew nothing about, and many
times she sat on the battlefield amid the
roar of cannon and musketry, as calmly
as though in her own home. At the
battle of Perryville, Ky, when Gen.
Brown was wounded, she brought him
off the field in a carriage.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-01-27
AstOnished Crows.

There is evidently form of govern
ment among crows, and some have places
of authority. In flock there are always
some on guard, ready to give signal of
approaching danger, and in flying their
flight appears to be directed by com
mand. l Irecollect once seeing a flock of
crows homeward bound late in the after
noon. They were on an airline to their
place of rest, when suddenly the sun
became eclpsed by the interpositiOn OF
the moon. 1t soon became a total
eclipse. there were strange cries by
the leader as the darkness spread, aud,
as it became total, the command was
querulous. Instantly each bird chose a
limb. To me the actions of the birds
were more interesting than the eclipse.
Not less ridiculous were the movements
of the crows as the eclipse rolled away.
They were volube in their expressions
of establishment, probably declaring it
the shortest night they ever experienced.
After shaking out their feathers, greatly
bewildered, they took up their fight
westward. and disappeared.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-01-27

say. She were half dazed with what
she'd gone through, and strange sort
of awaiting feeling as KEEP her very
still. At last she hears them coming,
and she never stirs. And Dick, from
behind, without waiting a minute, or
taking so much as step for'arder, fires
straight at her back and she falls for
ware, and he fires again, and then they
walk away satisfied it were Jim Kemp,
for they seed the coat and they never
thought of Nancy.
"Nel, morning came, and as they
went back and found the house empty
they thought she'd given them the slip,
and they laughed as how they had
served her right; they little knew how
they had served her. They wasn't long
a-laughing; the fires had made bestir-
ment, and there they'd found Nancy
Dedman-daad, shot twice thro ugh the
back. And when they brought her IN
the old man fell down in fit, but Dick
he said naught, only when they said,
HAD Jim Kemp done this foul deedP
for his papers was in his pockets. Dick
said, How should he know? BE had
always told Nance to have naught to do
with that devil Kemp
"There was au enquiry, but naught
came of it. Old Dedman had another
fit and died, and Dick went over the
seas, they said. Farmer Kemp, young
Jim as was, never come back to settle.
He sold up, and nobody would have
know'd a word about it only he come
once when he was getting in years, to
look a. Nancy's grave to Haslemere.
''He told all as he knowed to the SEX
ton, Mr.. Keeling, and years after Dick
came as a stranger and asked for the
grave Of one Nancy Dedman, as he had
fancy to see. Though he was an old
gray man much beshaken, and with
naught about he to speak of murder,
Mr.. Keeling, as was always one with
two pairs of eyes, determined on seeing
justice done, and he tracks the man to
the inn and brings the parson, who was
magistrate into the bargain. But the
parson found broken down old man,
and he would not make any bestir; it
were too long ago, he said. And afore
Dick Deadman died he and the parson
were the best of friends, and from Dick
parson had it all. After Dick died he
telled Mr.. Keeling, who fitted in his
part and so it was told and told again,
and the tale was well known when l
was boy, though nobody speaks of it
now. ."-Macnaiilan' Magazine.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-01-27
1HE roo FRESH TOBOGGANER
IFrom the Montreal Star.1

GFrom the Montreal Star.l
lHe calleth for his Lady Lowell
Inc lanterns are shining, my love, my dove,
away to the slide let's be jogging;
Eor a rlde l am Pining, my dove, my love,
And I've brought out my little toboggan;
90 put on your blanket coat quick as may be,
ana come to the slide and toboggan with me,
Come, ride on my little toboggan.
Inc north wind is blowing, my love, my dove,
1t Is splendid tobogganing weather;
50 let us be going, my dove, my love,
And slide and toboggan together.
On, hasten my peerless one, off let US jog,
And dash down the slide on my little tobog,
Dash down on my little toboggan.
tThey sally forth and reach the Slidel
AT last off we're whizzing, my love, my dove,
And down the steep slide we are dashing;
Hear the air pass fixing, my dove, my love
As on We go slashing and crashing.
We're nearing the bottom; aha! We are there
But where's my toboggan, and where are you
dear?
Where's my love and my little tobaggan?
IEIn rges from Snow Heap and gazes wildly
Aroundl
what can have occurred, my love, my dove,
With something must have collided;
must have been iurried, my dove, my love,
And must have unskillfully guided
My vehicle made from the bark of log,
My little toboggan, my little tobog-
But where the deuce is my toboggan?
An, now espy you, my love, my dove,
But who in the mischief's that feIler
Who walks so close by you, my dove, my love?
It's that brute of a clerk-that feller.
An. woe me unhappy! now homeward I'll jog:
For my love 1 have lost, and my little tobog;
Yes, all smashed is my little toboggan.
MORAL.
1oung fellows give ear; ere you go to the slide
with your girl, learn to steer, for duffer
NO lady can care for, and if you can't guide
four toboGgan, you'll certainly suffer.
AS my hero above, whose unskillfulness cost
Hlm the loss of his girl, and beside her he
lost
He lost, ah! his little toboggan.